With this turn of her head, Yuwen Houde saw even more clearly. In broad daylight, his wife was in Gu Chaobei’s arms?!

This was beyond endurance! Yuwen Houde immediately dismounted and charged toward them in fury. However, halfway there, Shen Guiyan emerged from the side, holding medicinal ointment and saying, “Fortunately they keep these supplies on hand. Jiangxue, come sit down and let me apply this for you.”

His burning rage was doused by these words. Yuwen Houde looked at Han Jiangxue’s foot—one was lightly raised, as if sprained.

“What happened?” He hurried forward, wanting to assess the situation, but heard Lady Han’s icy voice: “No need to trouble yourself. Guiyan can apply the ointment for me.”

Gu Chaobei helped Han Jiangxue sit to the side. Shen Guiyan had Baoshan provide cover while she removed Han Jiangxue’s shoes and socks and applied the ointment to her ankle.

“There, it’s not too serious. I’ll take you back in a moment.” Shen Guiyan completely ignored Yuwen Houde standing nearby and supported Han Jiangxue, saying, “My husband will return later, and then we can all dine together.”

“Mm.” Lady Han obediently agreed, leaning against Shen Guiyan as if she were part of their household. Yuwen Houde stood to the side, looking instead like an outsider.

“Xue’er.” Yuwen Houde frowned. “You are my wife. How much longer will you stay out here?”

Han Jiangxue raised her head to glance at him, her eyes full of unfamiliarity: “I am your wife?”

Yuwen Houde felt somewhat guilty. Meeting her gaze, his eyes instinctively shifted away: “You are my properly wedded wife.”

Han Jiangxue nodded: “Yes, properly wedded. If we were to divorce, only you could cast me out. By staying away longer, you could divorce me on grounds of the Seven Grounds for Divorce. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

“How could I divorce you?” Yuwen Houde grew anxious: “That singing girl and I… there’s nothing between us anymore. I only wanted to use her to…”

Glancing at Gu Chaobei nearby, Yuwen Houde changed his words: “In any case, she’s now gone to the Crown Prince’s manor. I’ll never have contact with her again. You should stop being angry.”

Shen Guiyan couldn’t help but laugh softly: “You had an affair with someone, that person rose to greater heights, and only now do you remember your wife? By your logic, Jiangxue is in the wrong for being angry?”

Yuwen Houde was a simple military man—how could he match words with Shen Guiyan? He said anxiously: “That’s not what I meant. In my heart, I still have Xue’er…”

“You have her in your heart, so you neglect her at home day after day, then go out and dally with others.” Shen Guiyan nodded. “Truly, she’s in your heart.”

A chill ran down Gu Chaobei’s back. Though he knew she was speaking of Yuwen Houde, he couldn’t help but glance at her.

Shen Guiyan said gently and quietly to him: “Husband, I’m not talking about you.”

Laughing dryly twice, Gu Chaobei stood to the side like a statue. Yuwen Houde’s face darkened, unable to speak, only staring fixedly at Han Jiangxue.

Han Jiangxue hid behind Shen Guiyan and said: “Once, this concubine thought of spending her entire life following you, being good to you, even bearing children in the future and growing old together.”

“But now this concubine no longer wishes for that—wishes for nothing at all. Sometimes when you think too much, all that remains is disappointment. Go. I must return with them as well.”

“Xue’er.” Yuwen Houde said through gritted teeth: “You surely still have me in your heart. I only erred this once and won’t do so again. Would you rather become an abandoned wife over this single matter?”

Han Jiangxue said nothing, only slowly stood up. Shen Guiyan supported her as they walked outside.

“She doesn’t want to see you right now.” Gu Chaobei patted Yuwen Houde’s shoulder: “Lord Yuwen, farewell.”

“Gu Chaobei.” Yuwen Houde blocked him, then looked toward Shen Guiyan who was already walking away: “Why are you interfering in others’ family affairs? This is between Xue’er and me.”

Gu Chaobei picked at his ear and smiled: “Because I feel like it. If you’re unhappy, fight me. If you win, the Gu manor will never again concern itself with Lady Han’s affairs.”

“You!” Yuwen Houde was furious. Hearing such provocation, how could he restrain himself? He immediately assumed a fighting stance.

Gu Chaobei truly began exchanging blows with him. Lady Han looked back somewhat worriedly, but Shen Guiyan continued supporting her as they walked out: “No need to worry. Chaobei knows restraint.”

“But…” Han Jiangxue bit her lip and lowered her eyes: “Any injury is still not good.”

It seemed she still cared about him. Shen Guiyan sighed. That Yuwen Houde must have had his ancestral graves emit auspicious smoke to marry a wife like Han Jiangxue. Even betrayed to this extent, she still worried about him.

However, Lady Han had some backbone. After being betrayed, she couldn’t be appeased with a few words—she had to make him pay some price.

Shen Guiyan didn’t ask about the fight’s outcome. When Gu Chaobei returned, he bore no injuries.

“That Yuwen Houde is currently well-regarded by General Lian.” When Gu Chaobei and Shen Guiyan were alone in the main room, he said: “He’s a good ladder.”

Who was General Lian? An old general who supported the imperial house and upheld the Emperor and Crown Prince, commanding fifty thousand troops near the capital.

Seeing his expression, Shen Guiyan knew what he was thinking. She frowned: “No wonder you insisted on going to the flower garden today. You knew in advance that Yuwen Houde would be there?”

Gu Chaobei chuckled twice: “My wife is clever.”

Shen Guiyan said disapprovingly: “However you men scheme is your business, but don’t use Jiangxue. She’s already suffered from meeting an unworthy man. Just let her live peacefully here.”

“Who said I’d scheme against her? Wife, just take good care of her.” Gu Chaobei pouted: “Why do you always think so poorly of me?”

Because you do seem rather unscrupulous, Shen Guiyan sighed inwardly.

“The singing girl newly admitted to the Crown Prince’s manor seems about to be made an official consort, but both the Emperor and Empress disapprove.” Gu Chaobei changed the subject: “With the Sixth Prince dead, the Crown Prince has become more willful. Probably having no concerns now, he’s being somewhat reckless, insisting on establishing that singing girl.”

Shen Guiyan said: “A singing girl is of lowly birth, naturally beneath the Emperor and Empress’s notice. But if the Crown Prince truly likes her, making her an official consort wouldn’t be improper.”

“Likes her?” Gu Chaobei snorted lightly: “It’s only because his position is secure that he dares act on his feelings. If the throne were still uncertain, see if he’d dare establish an official consort.”

He spoke the truth. Now without threats, and with the Emperor ill, the Crown Prince had grown increasingly arrogant, faintly already carrying the air of the realm’s master. Little did he know the Empress still watched from above like a tiger eyeing its prey. He had already advised that the singing girl should not be elevated for now. However, the Crown Prince wouldn’t listen.

This was the first time he felt his master was unreliable.

Someone who would jeopardize great ambitions for a woman—how could such a person achieve anything?

Shen Guiyan, watching Gu Chaobei’s expression, raised an eyebrow and asked: “In your view, husband, between realm and beauty—which weighs more?”

“Naturally the realm.” Gu Chaobei said: “A realm is not one person’s achievement. One general’s success is built on ten thousand bones—how can it be destroyed by one person’s willfulness?”

Shen Guiyan nodded. His thinking was reasonable enough, given that he served others.

She only felt somewhat grateful that fortunately, they were just an ordinary married couple.

Over the following days, Yuwen Houde came to the Chancellor’s manor daily, disguised and entering through the back door to avoid attention. Gu Chaobei would let him into the northern courtyard but wouldn’t let him see Han Jiangxue.

Han Jiangxue had also formed a united front with the couple. If she said she wouldn’t see him, she wouldn’t, no matter how much she missed him—she wouldn’t relent.

Thus on the fifth day, Yuwen Houde finally came to plead with Gu Chaobei.

“We were once colleagues. Help me out, won’t you?” Yuwen Houde said: “If we husband and wife continue quarreling like this, it does you no good either.”

Gu Chaobei might not excel at other things, but he was excellent at making friends, especially drinking companions. He immediately took Yuwen Houde to the Drunken Flower Shade.

“Women? Just coax them. As long as you don’t associate with that person again in the future, no matter how angry she is, it will gradually fade.” Gu Chaobei said: “After all, one’s own wife is best. Look at the women down there—how many truly care for you? Don’t they all just want your money and status?”

Yuwen Houde smiled bitterly. After several cups of wine, he couldn’t help but speak his heart: “I couldn’t withstand temptation. That little vixen was truly tormenting. But now, thinking back, she’s just another opportunist who tramples the low and fawns on the high. Now that she’s made it, she gave me a boost, but afterward refuses to acknowledge me anymore.”

Gu Chaobei raised an eyebrow and smiled: “I suspect you upset your little lover somehow, which is why she won’t acknowledge you?”

“Hmph.” Yuwen Houde said: “She caused Xue’er to leave me and made off with several years of my salary. If not for the small benefits she gave me, I wouldn’t let her off so easily.”

Gu Chaobei pressed his lips together, smiling as he drank. Yuwen Houde was someone he wanted to win over. Two cups of wine and he’d learned half the story. After winning him over, he’d need to have a good talk with him, educate him properly—otherwise he was just too foolish.

As for how to win him over, he had the trump card with Yan’er, plus a little effort would suffice.

The next day, Gu Chaobei reported to the Crown Prince that Yuwen Houde’s relationship with General Yuwen was strained, fearing he might not be their man. Though they needn’t exclude him, neither should they rely heavily on him.

When he spoke, the Crown Prince still listened. Within days, Yuwen Houde had half his military authority revoked, and General Lian no longer treated him as warmly.

Yuwen Houde was bewildered, not knowing where he’d gone wrong. So he went to ask Han Lu.

Han Lu was busy seducing the Crown Prince and had no time for him, only saying she’d helped him enough and henceforth they had no relationship.

Burning bridges? Yuwen Houde flew into a rage and immediately quarreled fiercely with Han Lu.

“What is he? Now just a minor vice-general, and he dares challenge me?” Han Lu was furious, smashing things alone in her room. After finishing, she couldn’t help but recall Yuwen Houde’s words: “I helped you rise. I still hold evidence against you. Making you lose everything would be quite simple.”

She knew she shouldn’t have left evidence in his hands. Now, at this critical juncture of establishing her as official consort, how could she let this man ruin everything!

Murderous intent rose in her eyes. Han Lu steadied herself and went out to find someone.